Packaging Design – 5 Books To Inspire

We all need a little inspiration from time to time and although the internet is a superb source for all kinds of packaging design, I still find myself drawn to buying books full of outstanding packaging examples. There are so many books dedicated to packaging and if you’re like me and prefer to buy on the web to secure the best price, then its hard to know which have the best content. We have built up quite a library over the years and these are just a few we like.

Packaging Design Now

This is one of my more recent purchases. It is beautify laid out, as you would expect from Taschen and incredibly informative, so not only is it jam packed with some great packaging but its also a really good read. Packaging Design Now explores global contemporary packaging in detail. Practically everything you buy comes in some sort of package—some are just functional, while others strive to be as innovative, elegant, and eye-catching as possible. This book features eye-catching package icons from Apple iPhone to De Beers diamonds, that reveal the hard work dedicated to deliver these products with intense appeal, including in-depth case studies about package design developments, giving readers a peek at the way packaging is made and designed.

What is Packaging Design?

What is Packaging Design? from Rotovision has been around a while now. Not only in the market place but also on the bookshelves at Flipflop Design. Hence the splotches of red wine on the cover (from leafing through at home rather than in the office I should point out) so some of the designs are showing their age a little. However there are still some good packaging case studies and what is packaging design? explores the myraid issues that determine a client’s brief and influence the designer’s approach. The book lays the foundations and professional guidelines for best practice when designing.

Package Design

Package Design daab consists of 116 examples, over 384 pages making it a light and airy book of designs rather than contextual. Although it is devoid of text its still a lovely book and the white space promotes the images of package design.

The Little Book of Big Packaging Ideas

The Little Book of Big Packaging Ideas comes to us from Rockport publishers. It is as the name suggests small, but its packed full of packaging designs and information. I wouldn’t say the packaging showcased are the best examples but it is definitely a good read with tips on creativity, process, and execution of packaging design for all types of clients.

Packaging Design

Published in 2007 by Portfolio, this again is not a newbe to the market and therefor some of the content is a little outdated. Packaging Design should be considered bedtime reading rather than full of inspirational designs. However it is a introduction to the fundamentals of packaging and covers the whole design process. A good book for designers just venturing into the world of packaging design and a nice reminder of all the elements which surround packaging design to those of us who have been around a while.